Improvement in toy propellers



`H.' THOMASS.

Toy-Propellers.

Patented Feb.10.1874.

No.l47,448.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HERMANN THOMASS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPRVEMENT IN eOY PROPLLRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,448, dated February 10, 1874; application led January 24, 1874.

To all whom it may' concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN THoMAss, of Brooklyn,` in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Toy Propeller, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to that class of toys which is provided with clock-work for revolving screwed upon the axle to crowd the spring agaiiist the loosel wheel or the wheel against the spring. rEhe more the spring is com- Y pressed by the nut, the more friction will the axle experience in attempting to turn loose in said wheel, and the larger will in consequence be the circle described by the toy, while a smaller circle will be described when the spring is more expanded; and if the spring is compressed to its full capacity, the wheel will no longer be loose on the axle, and the roy will move in a straight direction. The facility of causing' the variation of the circle does not only make the -toy more amusing, but adapts it also for use in small apartments, or even on top of tables or other limited supports.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a side view of the improved toy 5 Fig. 2, a top view, partly in section,of the same 5 and Fig. 3, a top viewof part of the toy, showing a modification of the invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spending parts in all the figures.

The letter A in the drawing represents the driving-axle of the toy, carrying two wheels, B and C, and connected with a suitable clockwork, D, whereby it is revolved. The wheel B, I prefer to secure fast upon the axle but the wheelOis loose thereon, so that if the axle is revolved the toy will describe a circle, of which the wheel B describes the circumference,

while the wheel C takes up theslip necessary to leave it nearer the center of the circle. By a nut, c, which is screwed upon the axle, a

suitable spring, b, is crowded with more or less pressure against the wheel C. When, as has already been stated, the spring l) is compressed to a greater extent, the circle described by the toy will be larger in proportion to the increased pressure of the spring against the wheel, while quite a small circle can be obtained by leaving the spring more or less uncompressed. When the spring is compressed to its fullest extent, the wheel C will by the nut be locked to the shaft, and not turn loose thereon, and the toy will in consequence move in a straight line. The spring b may be placed between the nut c and the wheel (Las in Fig. 2, or the wheel may, as in Fig. 3, be placed be tween the spring and the nut, the effect being substantially the same in both cases. The spring and nut attachment, may, if desired, be

applied to one wheel only, as shown, or to both wheels, in which last-named case the toy may be set to describe a circle toward either side, as may be desired, or also to move in a straight line.

The improvement is applicable to all selfmoving toys, such that move on firm supports, and have two, three, or more wheels, as well as such as float in water.

The clock-work: or other power which causes its propulsion may either be suspended from the axle of the toy, as shown, or be supported by the toy in other ina-nner.

I do not herein lay claim to the use of a loose and fast wheel on the axle of a toy, or unfastening the loose wheel, as such has already been shown in the patent granted to William Sellers, on the 11th day of February, 1873, No. 135,851; but

I do claim as my invention- In a toypropeller, the combination of the axle A and loose wheel C with the spring b and nut a, substantially as and for the purpose described.

. HERMANN THOMASS. Vitnesses:

A. V. BRIEsEN, GHAs. RAETTIG. 

